Serendipity
by Bunnylass
Summary: Sonamy. 'Love is friendship set on fire.' Sonic and Amy have grown into being the best of friends. So comfortable and attuned to each other that they might as well class themselves as a couple if they were even aware of it...
1. Serendipity

_**Disclaimer: **_Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't belong to me.

_**Rating: **_T

_**Summary: **_Sonamy. _'Love is friendship set on fire_.' Sonic and Amy have grown into being the best of friends. So comfortable and attuned to each other that they might as well class themselves as a couple if they were even aware of it...

_**A/N: **_Not really sure where this is coming from. It's been a small niggling idea of a moment here and there between them. Like I've been getting scattered patches of an image, the full picture not quite coming into focus. But yet I need to get it out there anyway. So here goes, I know it won't be a couple of chapters so I guess this is my first proper Sonic story. I hope I can pull it off while I just run with it. This is also my first bit of writing I've done in a long while. I've been having a really tough year and am so emotionally shut down that I don't know if I can pull this off. So I hope you guys don't dislike it too much. Also, apologies if they seem OOC. They're older in this story and I just don't believe Sonic wouldn't mature a lot in that time. Anyway, thanks for reading. x

* * *

_'Love is friendship set on fire.'_

_**_**_**_**_**_**Serendipity**_**_**_**_**_**_

Sonic the Hedgehog approached Amy Rose's house with the same neck breaking speed with which he goes everywhere. He stopped just short of falling through her open front door, grabbing on to the doorframe to uncharacteristically steady himself. His mind had been wandering while he was running and he wasn't expecting her door to be open when he arrived. The smell of fresh paint wafting from the house cleared his head though as he stepped inside without being invited and caught sight of his friend in cut off denim shorts, her tank top somehow streaked with paint along her back, her quills up in a haphazard ponytail.

She looked adorable and Sonic grinned as he tiptoed up to the pink hedgehog humming to herself while she rolled a paint brush across her lounge wall.

"Hello, Sonic," Amy Rose greeted him without turning around or stopping in her painting.

Sonic huffed as he stopped trying to Ninja his way to surprising Amy and casually went to stand beside her, admiring her handiwork thus far.

"Decorating _again_?" he asked pointedly, as it seemed that at least three times a year Amy got the bug for painting a new room. He was sure the lounge was still relatively new. "What's eating away at you this time?" Sonic turned his full attention on Amy, his mouth twitching at the cream paint spread across one cheek and smeared under her bangs. He waited for her to meet his gaze that she was avoiding as best she could.

Sonic knew that if she was pulling out the painting clothes, rollers and colour chart then something was gnawing away at his friend. Her restless energy being converted into her redecorating and 'revamping' her life as she has put it each time. He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her to look at him. His foot started tapping impatiently, a habit that has still stuck with him as he's grown up. His patience getting slightly better - just a touch - over the years. When Amy looked down at his foot and arched a brow at his tick she shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about it," she simply replied, turning back to her wall and cocking her head to the side to admire her mind numbing work.

Sonic frowned and wondered if it was worth pushing her to open up about what was bugging her. Another change and proof of his maturity, the fact he wasn't running out the door, but rather actively thinking about talking about emotions and stuff. With Amy Rose no less. But you see their friendship has changed _a lot_ over the years. As have the two hedgehogs. There wasn't a defining moment that caused it, or an open conversation of feelings and thoughts. Just a simple passage of time that helped their friendship mature along with their personalities, into a deep respect and understanding for them both.

Sonic would even go so far as to class Amy as close a best friend as Tails.

Not something he would have thought would ever happen when he was fifteen.

Deciding to not push her on whatever was upsetting her, Sonic uncrossed his arms and nodded, respecting her want of privacy and knowing that if she did want to talk about it then she would come to him if and when she is ready. "Want some help?" he offered instead, bending to pick up a spare roller and liberally coating it in fresh paint. He looked up at Amy with a wicked grin and twinkle in his eye.

"Oh no," Amy panicked, taking a hesitant step back. "Oh no, put it down! No, no, NO!" Amy cried as she turned tail and ran from Sonic who charged her with the roller dripping with paint. Thankfully Amy had the foresight to cover everything in old sheets, including covering the floor, in the hopes that she would make minimal mess in her distracted cleaning state. She hadn't factored in a humorous Sonic and his need to cheer her up by the most messy way possible.

She tried to dodge out of the way of his attack but felt it impact her shoulder as she spun around -

And came face to face with a roller.

Gasping she blinked past her shock, noting the very pleased grin stretched across Sonic's muzzle as admired his handy work. "You missed a bit," he shrugged, swivelling the roller around in his hand carelessly, flickering paint in an arc in the process. The growl coming from Amy stopped him though as he in turn took a shaky step back. "Ugh, Ames, what are you doing?" he quivered, putting his roller back up like a guard.

Who was he kidding though? This woman knew exactly how to get him, she spent enough time chasing him in her early teens.

Amy dived at him without hesitation, anticipating his next manoeuvre and meeting him halfway with her roller streaking through his quills and running down his back. Sonic halted instantly, his shoulders tensing under the attack. When he looked up at Amy she wore an equally cocky grin as she planted a paint covered hand on her hip and winked at him. _Clearly she's been spending too much time with me_, Sonic thought to himself with only a touch of pride.

"Oh yeah," Sonic murmured darkly. "It's on now!"

Amy only had a second to squeak before the true battle started between them. For the next ten minutes they ducked and dived from each other as they dipped their rollers quickly and tried to smother each other in as much paint as possible. Coating much of the sheet covered furniture as they jumped over it, hiding and attacking. They laughed, growled and howled as they got shots at each other. Amy held her own really well against Sonic who cheated a couple of times, using his speed to his advantage. But by the end they were both pretty well covered and out of breath as they bent over, leaning on their knees to recover.

"Thanks, Sonic," Amy finally spoke once she could breath properly.

Sonic didn't have to ask what for, he already knew by the way her tone softened and her eyes sparkled slightly as she looked at him. Without hesitation Sonic stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her to pull her in for a hug. He planted a firm familiar kiss to the top of her head and said, "Anytime."

They stayed in that familiar embrace for a few more moments before Amy pulled away, smiling again in gratitude. As she turned away to look back at the wall she'd been interrupted painting, she willed her heart to slow down as she ignored the heat still searing her back where Sonic held her. Years of being really great friends with the blue blur and Amy_ still_ got the same tingles and heart racing thrill from him. Now it's such a normal feeling that she barely notices it sometimes. But times like now, when she was feeling a touch more vulnerable than normal and it became a little harder to ignore.

"Are you staying?" she asked Sonic as she rolled her brush in more paint and got back to the job in hand, already wishing it was done so she could go shower the paint out of her quills.

"I've got no where else to be," Sonic replied, getting stuck in to the paint with more eagerness than Amy expected. Smiling, happy to have the company, they worked side by side like that without hesitation and in a comfortable and easy silence. Both lost to their own thoughts as they rolled and rolled until they got the rest of the room finished in half the time it would have taken for Amy to do it alone. That was something Sonic cherished the most about his friendship with Amy - the silence. She didn't expect him to fill the void with mindless chatter, she just let him come and go as he pleased and didn't ask anything of him.

He felt the guilt and niggle of sadness that he hadn't realised she was as happy for silence and peace as he was back when they were younger.

They stopped as they met at the final wall and stood back, side by side and looked at their work. It was plain, just a generic cream that covered all of the walls. But Sonic knew it wouldn't take Amy long to brighten it with accessories, artwork and flowers. Interior design is what she's good at after-all. Even if she has never quite figured out what her own home style is yet.

They dropped their rollers and collapsed down onto the covered couch, their bodies pressed up against each other.

Sonic threw a casual arm across Amy's shoulders and she leaned her head down on his shoulder companionably. "You know Tails could have made you something that would have painted this room in no time." Sonic mentioned, his hand waving lazily in the air to gesture the room around them. He felt Amy shrug against him and mutter something unintelligible. Sonic nodded and sank more into the couch. "I know," he simply replied, unaware of how grateful Amy was that he just _got it_. Got _her_ and understood what she was saying, without her having to say a word. It was a relief to be able to just shut down around him and not have it be questioned.

They sat there for a while, resting their aching hands and bodies. Before long though Amy heard Sonic's stomach rumble with hunger.

Laughing she didn't hesitate to get up from her spot on the couch, missing his warmth instantly, as she made her way to her kitchen. "Chilli dogs OK with you?" she smirked as she glanced over her shoulder catching Sonic's dopey happy reaction as he stretched out on the couch and winked at her.

"You sure know how to treat a guy." he grinned, rubbing his belly with anticipation.

Laughing Amy turned away and walked into the kitchen, this same song and dance between them so regular and familiar, she didn't even stop to think about what to do next. Her body and mind going into auto-pilot as she imagined the blissful hot shower that would come once lunch was finished. She didn't question whether Sonic would still be there when she walked back into the living room or if his staying to help her and having lunch meant anything more than a friend helping another friend out.

She just felt grateful to have him in her life at all, in whatever way she could get him.


	2. Little Do You Know

_**A/N:**_ I cant re-read this anymore, I will drive myself crazy. Thank you for the reviews, story favourites and follows! It means a lot. I'm switching to first person from now cause I enjoy writing it more. This is Sonic and Tails POV's. x

* * *

_'Love is never a straight line. Sometimes you've got to freehand.'_

**_Little Do You Know_**

Head down to avoid making eye contact with too many people, I pushed the shopping cart down the aisle of the supermarket beside Amy, who had her cute nose in her shopping list and wasn't watching where she was going. I reached out and pulled her gently to the side so she wouldn't walk into a display of grapefruit at the last second. She looked up, seeming a little startled, gave me a small adorable embarrassed smile and went straight back to her shopping list. Shaking my head at her distraction, I chuckled lightly and carried on pushing the annoying cart with the dodgy wheel around the shop.

I must've been giving out boredom vibes because Amy stopped me a second later.

"You don't have to be here, Sonic. I can do my shopping alone," she rested her small hand on my arm and smiled at me with that too cute to ignore tug of her lips. She really meant it too, she didn't need me there and she wouldn't be offended if I zipped out of the store as fast as possible. She wouldn't take it personally, she wouldn't berate me later on because I left her stranded. After-all, it was me who asked if I could come along.

I might have had ulterior motives for that this time though.

"I know, but I just want to make sure you pick up the right chilli this time," I winked at her where I was casually leaning on the cart.

Amy's cheeks flushed and she ducked her head to scout over her shopping list again. Her reaction surprised me and I stood back up to my full height and watched her. She knew I was, her face was getting redder the more I stared. Why was she acting all squirrely all of a sudden? Did I put my foot in it? Not that it would be the first time with her, but I like to think it's been a very long time since I did. I'm far past that slightly stuttery, AmyRosemakesmenervous stage of bolting and/or saying something to upset her accidentally. What's insulting about chilli?

Narrowing my eyes I reached out and hooked a finger under her chin, making her turn to look me in the eye. I didn't say anything, I just gave her a look and waited. She bit her lip, her eyes shining with humour as we silently battled it out.

I couldn't tell you who's the most stubborn out of the two of us, I think we're pretty equal on that battlefield.

Amy did crack first though, probably because we were drawing attention to ourselves by having a stare down competition in the middle of an aisle at the store, our cart abandoned. She swallowed nervously, tucking a stray quill over her shoulder as she glanced down and looked back up at me. I felt like I was being played by her unintentional adorableness.

"I've just been trying a new chilli out, that's all. I'll get your normal one from now on." she mumbled as she turned away and walked off quickly down the aisle. Being the fastest thing alive it didn't take me long to catch up to her, wonky shopping cart or not. She was distractedly throwing things in and ticking items off her list. I watched her for a moment, my mind rummaging back over the past couple of weeks, trying to remember the packaging of this new chilli she'd been tainting me with.

When we got to the tinned chilli my eyes scanned the shelves trying to locate the right one. Amy placed a few of my normal favourite in the cart and started off at quite the quick pace. She was too late though, because my eyes zeroed in on the tin I was looking for and I almost dropped it on my foot out of terror. She _has_ been tainting me! Amy Rose, one of my oldest and best friends has been secretly feeding me poison for weeks, on my precious chilli dogs no less! Is it some kind of practical joke? Was she hoping I wouldn't notice?

How - how could she?!

"Amy Rose!" I called, maybe a little too loudly as I appeared in front of her, stopping her from running away. She collided into me and jumped back just as fast. She looked nervous now. Nervous and like she was trying hard to not laugh at me. I know how I must've looked - a little crazed, scared and hurt. My poor chilli dogs . . . "You've been feeding me _low fat chilli_?" My voice was almost cracking just saying it aloud. And then a more horrifying thought occurred to me. "Ames, are you trying to say I'm getting fat?" I muttered, staring down at my stomach.

Amy made a noise that made me look up in surprise. Was that a _purr_?

Her eyes did a pretty quick and pretty thorough inspection of my body that more than inflated my ego, I can't deny it. Fat thought gone, it took a lot of willpower to not flex right there and then just to see what she would do. I settled for a familiar and proud smirk instead. When she met my eyes again her blush was back in full force from being caught out and I grinned even wider.

"Oh shut up, you know you're hot," she huffed as she shouldered past me. True, I've lost my gangly teenage body and filled out a bit more since sparring more with Knuckles and doing more top secret missions around Mobius - a hedgehog's got to pay for said chilli dogs somehow. But still, it didn't hurt being told every now and again I'm buff. "Besides, I got it because it's healthier." she continued, back to her annoying list again.

I nearly snorted at that.

"Amy, in case it has escaped your notice, but I run at the speed of sound. If that doesn't burn off whatever I eat then I'm screwed. Low fat chilli not only tastes like crap, but ruins a decent chilli dog. Thanks but no thanks." I hummed, squeezing her shoulder once as I walked past her.

She simply shrugged, the matter dropped just like that. That's one of the things I appreciate about Amy - she doesn't go on and on. We talk it out and it's finished, rarely to be brought up again. But now I knew she was getting the good chilli my itch to get out of the supermarket and burn off some energy was tingling through my body. Amy picked up on it instantly and nodded, "Go ahead, I'll see you later." she smiled.

Grinning because my friends a mind reader I quickly kissed the top of her head and bolted out of the store.

But then I remembered something and did a quick 360 to go back. I ran up behind Amy and whispered in her ear, "I think you're hot too, Ames."

Grinning from her bodies shivery response I was about to run again when her matter of fact voice followed after me. "Yeah, I know I am."

Jogging backwards so I could turn to see the smirk I knew she had on her face, I saluted her come-back with a laugh and wink, leaving for good that time.

Maybe I'll join her shopping again soon, I thought. Just because.

xXx

I ducked back down behind the crackers I was hiding behind as I watched Sonic disappear out of the store for the second time.

I stared at a random spot on the floor, confused and curious. Are Amy and Sonic - are they in a _relationship_? When did _that_ happen? Why didn't he _tell_ me? I thought I was his best friend, his little brother. And I use the term little very loosely these days as I'm almost on par of height with him now. But still, why didn't he tell me? Peeking back over the crackers to see where Amy was I watched her for a few seconds, part of my mind telling me this was being a bit stalkery, and the other wondering why I wasn't going up to say hello to her in the first place.

It's not as if we don't bump into each other here on the rare occasion I do come here to get my groceries.

I guess I'm still floored by what I just watched. I mean, they didn't kiss in the middle of the shop or anything. But they looked - _familiar_ \- with each other. Unless I've had my focus on someone else too much and haven't noticed. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks at the inner truth of that possibility.

I know Sonic hasn't dated anyone in a while. The few relationships he has had haven't gone on for more than half a year at least. Though I've had my suspicions in the past that it's because he's never really acknowledged to himself his true feelings for Amy, the relationships he has been in seemed as though he was happy? Although again, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. It's been a whirlwind few years as Eggman has eased off on his attacks and everyone has found other things to fill their time. I've thrown myself into my inventions and making a name for myself in the scientific field off my own merit and not someone who works alongside Mobius' hero.

Not to say I'm not grateful to be best friends with Sonic! Of course I am and he's my biggest supporter and pusher. But to be acknowledged that I have reason to give other inventors a run for their money, especially someone like me at the young age of twenty is enough to give me the boost I needed to put more time into my own interests. We all make time for each other still, that's the important thing. And when Eggman comes rolling in with his bots, we're all there to take him down every time.

Still, Sonic and Amy together? If it's secret they're doing a bad job of it. So it can't be that.

"Tails?" Twin tails bristling in surprise as my ears flattened to my head with guilt, I spun on my heel to face Amy. I'd been so caught up in my own thoughts I hadn't noticed that she was gone and heading my way. I felt my blood rush to my face. "What are you doing behind the crackers?" Amy's asked not unkindly as she smiled coming in for a hug. I accepted it gratefully, hoping it would give me enough time to cool my engines. When she pulled away I hoped my face was a little less red than before.

"Um, hi!" I answered, looking around for an answer that I hadn't come up with in those few seconds. "I thought I'd heard Sonic's voice, but I must've just missed him," I sighed inwardly with relief for not lying. I _had_ heard his voice and I _had_ missed him. Half truth or not, I hate lying and Amy knows me too well for me to even try to get away with it. "I wasn't expecting to see him here." A full truth, I don't think I have ever seen Sonic go willingly shopping before, let alone with Amy.

Not a statement I ever thought I would say about my two old friends. Friendly as they were when we were younger, it's most definitely on a different level now. Sonic has always respected Amy and the skills and support she's brought to our team. Did she make him a nervous wreck? Absolutely! Was she a bit of a mad fan girl in her early teens? Without a doubt. But she is and always has been an integral part of our team and a good friend to Sonic as well and Knuckles and me. We fear her hammer more so now than ever, but she's a formidable friend and her and Sonic have gotten a lot closer and more comfortable with each other as they've grown up.

Not just because she's stopped squeezing him and demanding dates with him either.

Amy blushed slightly as she said, "He caught me out trying a different tinned chilli so he wanted to come make sure I got the right one," Her eyes shone with humour as she said it, that part of the conversation between them was a part I had overheard. I didn't miss the openly - err - _appreciative_ look she gave Sonic too when he asked if she was calling him fat. I almost gave myself away from my hiding spot when he demanded to know that. The idea of Sonic getting fat is laughable after-all; he has the metabolism off the charts.

I'm aware he goes to Amy's for dinner on occasion. But now I wonder just how often.

"You can't fool Sonic when it comes to his chilli dogs," I laughed, knowing that one myself first hand.

"Lesson learned," Amy laughed with me before sighing in defeat and waving her list in the air. "I have to finish this shopping, I've got a list of errands to run still. But I'll see you soon for our night at Rouge's, right?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it." I answered, thinking of Rouge's club we make the effort to meet up at once a month since she opened it's doors. In support of her own business venture that suits her perfectly, clichéd as it may seem. A bat running a nightclub, who can be her own security if she wishes? It's a lucrative venture. She's incredibly popular for her own reasons, and she doesn't just open the doors for people to dance and drink. She holds fundraisers there too, supporting different charities. She's even held a few speed date nights too. They've proven to be very popular apparently.

With us all being older now, it's nice to do something different. Something - _normal_.

"Great! See you soon, Tails." Amy gave me a quick kiss to my cheek and dashed past me with her cart, leaving a subtle scent of her perfume behind in her wake. I shook my head as I watched her leave. I noticed one or two men watching her go too, much to her obliviousness. I ground my teeth and scowled when they turned back and caught my eye. My message clear as they ducked their heads and ignored me. I might be slightly younger than Amy, but I'm taller than her now and definitely don't appreciate her being ogled like that. She's like my sister.

Even if I was kind of stalking her behind some crackers myself.

Sighing because I was right back to that confused and curious state, I decided to grab what I came here for and get back to my workshop so I could disappear into the tornado again. If Sonic and Amy want to be together than great! I won't pop their bubble by bringing it up if they're not ready to tell people yet. Besides, it's taken them long enough.

Damn stubborn hedgehogs.


	3. Familiarity

_**A/N:**_I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update this story. It's been a strange 18 months. Six months after losing my mum I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter. A true blessing in disguise, it also impacted my healing after losing my mum and all my focus went into trying to get myself into a stable enough state to be the best mum to her that I can be. Piper Seren is 3 months now and an angel in babies clothes. But this chapter could be better. Unfortunately I am sitting on my bed in the dark doing this because I don't want to wake her up. But I'll try and update again very soon! Thank you for your patience and love for the previous chapter. I've got some serious catching up to do with a few other peoples stories. Take care!

* * *

_'Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes.' — Friedrich Nietzsche_

**_Familiarity_**

"OK Pinkie, time to stop wallowing and come out with me," I poked Amy hard in the back and waited for her to turn and acknowledge me. She threw me a dirty look over her shoulder but didn't say anything otherwise. Sighing I walked around her couch and sat down in the surprisingly comfortable adjacent arm chair. I looked at her for a moment, taking in her paler complexion than normal. Pursing my full lips together I tried to be as patient as possible. "Seriously Amy, come shopping with me, we can get an expensive coffee to go and talk trash about Knuckles."

Amy raised a brow at me. "Are you guys fighting again?" she questioned, partly because she's as much a gossip as I am, but mostly to do a poor job of deflecting my line of questioning.

I sat back and crossed my knees in a smug but elegant fashion. "We always fight, it's what makes it so much fun. But no, we're not fighting like _that_. Doesn't mean I can't talk trash about him anyway."

I looked away because my relationship with Knuckles is something, I don't like to go too much into detail about with our friends. It's common knowledge that we fight almost all the time. It's what we do. But no one needs to know how we are away from everyone. No one needs to know exactly how vulnerable and weak he makes me feel and behave. Or how deliriously happy I am that sometimes I want to be the giddy woman Amy reads about in books and tell the world how ecstatic I am that Knuckles is mine and I am his. Even if he does snore ridiculously loudly.

I do have a reputation to uphold after-all.

And besides, this is about Amy.

For a couple of weeks now she's been feeling down in the dumps. As far as I know nothing in particular has triggered it. Sometimes people just get depressed, they don't need a reason for it. Although Amy's always been one of the most infuriatingly bubbliest teenagers I'd ever met, as she grew up and matured, she let down those super positive defences a little. And like most people gets hit with what I like to call, 'Life Tired'. She slips into a funk for a while and then comes out the other side of it usually a little wiser and stronger for it. Not that she's not one of the strongest women I've ever met, because she definitely packs a punch in the inner strength department. But sometimes she needs a little nudge to come out the other side.

Which is where I come in.

I drilled into her with a no holds barred eyes of determination that made her glare back just as intensely. I waited, because as strong as she is, she doesn't always have the best patience and waited for her to growl with mock frustration and throw her hands into the air.

"Fine! You win."

"Good girl," I smirked, admiring my nails with fake interest. "Put on that cute little sundress you picked up in the sales too. Plenty of fresh meat out there ripe for the torturing today." I grinned properly hearing her true laughter as she wandered up the stairs muttering about how ruthless I am. I can window shop and point out the good and bad men pickings for her after-all. It's been a few months since she had a date, it might just be the distraction my friend needs.

Huh, Amy Rose, my friend. Not something I ever thought I would come to say with fondness. We didn't exactly hate each other all those years ago. But I didn't go out of my way to get to know her either. The age gap between us was so vast and her immaturity just a little too jarring to my bat ears for my liking. But there was no mistaking, even back then, what she brought to Sonic's little mismatched team of heroes. Whether any of them realised - or admitted it - Amy Rose was an asset to them back then. But she was just a child like the rest of them.

Now though? Now she's a beautiful, mature woman carving her own way, with her own life in her own way. And I'm proud. It wasn't an instantaneous friendship for us, it took time. She was wary of me and I, reluctant to admit it, was envious of her. The way she was protected by the boys, her almost constant sunny outlook on life. The way she's always been able to adapt to anything, facing it head on and showing her emotions when she felt she could without fear of being judged or ridiculed. I like to think we've helped each other a lot over the last couple of years. She to show me not everything has a dark purpose, me to show her sometimes it does. We balance each other out well and I'm grateful now to call her my friend.

We don't see each other every week, we don't need to live in each other's pockets to know that we've got each other's support. Life is busy, life can be messy and we've both got our own things. But shopping - oh shopping we always make time for.

"Better?" she asks me as she steps back into the room and spins on the spot, her sundress floating around her gently. She stops on her sandaled foot in a pose that makes me nod with appreciation. Amy Rose could pull off wearing a bin bag, let alone a sundress to drive the opposite sex mad. I wink back and she grins. "Great, now let's go get that coffee you promised me. My closest has a few spaces for a new bag or shoes."

"That's my girl," I smile as we head for her door and the bright sunshine awaiting us.

xXx

To say we did a shopping addict proud would be an understatement. Even my arms were starting to ache from the load we had between us. One thing I can say for Amy is she knows how to sniff out a bargain! I've always been of the mentality if you want it, you get it. Whether that's from a 5-finger discount or the legal way, I've never batted an eye about it. But Amy is a bargain hunter and I've started to appreciate her instinct for it. I haven't even needed to use that famous discount I've been so impressed by the savings she's haggled or found. And my heel collection has thanked her too. Knuckles on the other hand . . . I guess I'll be hiding more from him again.

I almost sighed with relief when we approached her house again and the knowledge of the comfortable chair and my free hands.

I tried not to shift on the spot as I waited for her to get the door. But rather than unlock it like I was expecting her to do, it swung open to reveal Sonic, watching us with a smirk across his handsome face.

"Did you leave anything for the rest of Mobius, Ames?" Sonic chuckled as he took the bags weighing down her hands and put them down in the lounge. I walked in behind Amy, happily dumping my bags down in a heap as soon as I could and kicking the door shut behind me. "Nice dress," Sonic commented to Amy, brushing a hand to her shoulder as he walked past and jumped back on the couch to face the TV.

Now I'm usually one to pick up on details very quickly, but something about the sun, shopping and men ogling I've been doing all day must have short circuited my brain a little, because it took a few moments for me to realise he'd obviously been here a while; judging by the drink on the coffee table and Sonic shaped dent to the couch cushions. I slowly sat down in the arm chair, my brain firing all sorts of thoughts at me as I took a load off my aching feet.

Amy collapsed down into her seat beside Sonic, kicked off her sandals with a groan and swung her feet up to rest her legs across his knees without missing a beat.

I tried not to make a sound to remind them I was there as I looked on in surprise when Sonic started massaging Amy's calves and feet without breaking eye contact with the show he was watching. But I know I resembled more of an owl at that point, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head.

"Remind me never to go shopping in anything but flat shoes, _ever again_," Amy sighed as she melted into the couch, her eyes bright but dazed.

Sonic chuckled and glanced over at her. "But then you wouldn't need me to massage your feet once you're home," he grinned as he applied a bit more pressure to the soles of her feet. I bit my lip and watched their interaction with abject fascination. I was still trying not to remind them of my presence, but I desperately wanted to sit forward and just gape at them and the flirty, apparently familiar dance they were doing.

Amy giggled but didn't say anything else. Attention back on the TV, Sonic stopped massaging and just rested his hands on her legs instead. "I picked up some more milk by the way. We were almost out."

_Wait-a-minute_! Hold on. Have I missed something?

Done with trying to blend in to the background, I sat forward and stared hard at them. I was expecting to see something in their expressions when I made my presence known, but they didn't look guilty or surprised to suddenly see me perk up with interest. Sonic didn't quickly take his hands off her legs and Amy didn't shift away from him like she'd been caught doing anything wrong. Not that I was expecting Sonic to suddenly blush and run for the door or anything. But Amy would have told me if something was going on between them, right?

_Right?_

"How did you get in here, Sonic?" I asked, as casually as my white-hot curiosity could without coming across as though I was grilling them. Which of course I was. Did Knuckles know they're in a relationship and he hadn't told me? Am I the last person to find out? Had I missed the signs all this time? "I mean, I'm surprised to see you here when it's such a beautiful day outside. I thought you'd be running all over Mobius."

Sonic shrugged casually and threw an arm across the back of the couch in Amy's direction. "I used my key; I didn't feel like running all day today."

"Oh, you've got your own key?" I questioned, feigning disinterest as I examined my nails again.

"Yup." he answered to the TV, back into his show that Amy didn't seem in the slightest bit phased to see him watching.

Just like that, as if it's not a big deal at all that he has a key to Amy's house. Don't get me wrong, I know they're close. Much closer than they've ever been. But even I'm a little surprised to hear he's got his own key. It took a _really_ long time before I gave Knuckles that privilege. Besides, Sonic lives with Tails still. He chooses to come hang out at Amy's instead of going home? The shopping must've really wiped me out because it wasn't making a lot of sense to me.

A little put out that I wasn't getting any concrete evidence or answers for the burning questions in my mind, I chewed my lip for a second and thought about a new tactic. Looking around the room for inspiration I saw Amy's purse on the floor by her shopping bags, some of the contents spilling out slightly. Including a slip of paper that I knew held the number of a guy that she was given today. Smirk threatening to come out in full bloom I sat back in my seat and got comfortable again.

"So, Amy, are you going to take that bear up on his dinner offer and call him back?" I asked serenely, knowing that she showed a little interest in him when he approached her at the coffee shop. I looked at Amy but I was aware of Sonic's every movement too. I didn't say anything else, just waited. Almost instantly Sonic reacted, but not in a big, showy way. Just the slightest twitch of an ear, the tiniest pressure of his fingers laid on Amy's legs. To anyone else he was absolutely stoic. But I'm too highly trained for his twitches to have gone unnoticed.

_Gotcha_!

Amy tilted her head at me, twisting her lips slightly as she considered my question. "I'm not sure. Maybe? He seemed nice."

I continued to watch Sonic who was doing a remarkable job of not outwardly reacting to her answer. My eyes were almost straining to pick up something from him. Amy's had relationships since we've been friends. Sonic's been out on dates, maybe even had a couple of short-term relationships himself. I'd be lying if we didn't all expect them to get together at some point. It just seemed obvious. But as time went on and they became closer as friends, the more we just presumed it wasn't going to happen.

They seemed happy when dating other people, being best friends was working out for them so we just kind of forgot about our theory. But now, watching them so comfortable with each other, doing such domestic things together . . . that old theory was rising again.

Instead of giving in to the interrogation I wanted to put them through, I hummed in response to her answer got to my feet. "You've got nothing to lose after-all," I remarked as I crossed in front of Sonic's view and bent to kiss Amy on the cheek. "Call me later. Bye blue." I called as I picked up my shopping bags and tried not to fly out of the door. Sonic waved to me but didn't otherwise move. I waited on the other side of the closed front door to hear if he was going to question her on the bear, but he didn't ask.

It didn't matter, I already knew he was affected by the mere question. So, they're not in a relationship - _yet_.

And I stress the word, yet.

Now I need to grill Knuckles on this new information. Life just suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.


	4. Distraction

**_A/N - _**Sorry its taken a couple months to update again. Amazing how fast the time goes on lockdown with a nearly 4 year old and baby. Hope you enjoy this, it's one of my favourites. And thank you to, Son. Amyxxx for giving me a nudge with this story. x

* * *

'_Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different?_'

**_Distraction_**

Hearing my phone vibrate across my work bench for the 4th time in half an hour, distracted me. The small knife I was using to cut the stems off my flower arrangement spread out before me slipped and cut my finger, making me curse. Sighing I set the knife down and automatically sucked up the blood trickling down my finger. That's where Sonic found me a few minutes later, my mind wandering, my sore hand cupped in the other as I just stared into space. Ever the stealthy hedgehog when he wants to be, he snuck into my flower shop and waved his hand before my eyes to get my attention.

"Mobius to Amy, you in there, Ames?" he joked, all but peering into my face. I slowly blinked and came out of my fog as he glanced down at my hand where the blood had been pooling. "Chaos, you're bleeding!"

"Huh?" I asked stupidly as the breeze he left behind from racing to my back room to get the first aid kit changed direction with him reappearing. I looked around the shop expecting to see some flowers sprawled across the floor. But since I almost beat him over the head with my hammer for doing it one too many times recently Sonic's been more thoughtful about running around my small shop. I looked down at the hand he was cradling in his, inspecting my wound. "It's nothing, it's just a small cut. It looks worse than it is." I tried to pull my hand away but he wouldn't give it up.

I huffed and sat back on my stool at my bench.

"Just let me be the judge of that." he grumbled under his breath, using an antiseptic wipe to clean the blood away. He glanced up at me to see if I reacted.

I shook my head. "I told you. It doesn't even hurt."

"Well it needs a plaster anyway," he retorted as he grabbed one out of the box and diligently applied it to my cut, pressing over the edge of it with his thumbs. He stroked my hand one last time and let it go. "That's the 3rd cut you've gotten this week and it's only Friday. What's going on?" he questioned, leaning against my bench and fiddling with some loose ribbon.

I hopped off my stool and gathered up the pieces from my first aid kit to put it back neatly into the box. "Nothing, I guess I'm just a little more distracted than normal," I put the first aid kit under my bench so it was closer - just in case - and got back to finishing my flower arrangement. As if on cue one of the reasons for my distraction caused my phone to vibrate across my work bench again, coming perilously close to falling off. But Sonic, with his lightning quick reflexes grabbed it before it could and glanced at the screen, noticing the numerous notifications littering it.

He raised a brow but didn't say anything as he handed it to me. "Thanks," I mumbled as I shoved it into my back pocket and got back to my flowers.

Sonic hovered beside me, the air between us a little weird, but not enough to distract me from doing one of the things I love the most. Creating beautiful arrangements with clients' choice of flowers to tell a story for the person they're gifting them too. It's my happy place and my shop my sanctuary. Normally I have Cream here to help me, but she's been off sick all week, so I've been flying solo while trying to field the messages flying at me from Rouge asking about my up-coming date. And from Buddy, the bear I'm going on said upcoming date with. Both the source of most of my distraction too.

"Bored?" I asked Sonic as he leaned on the bench, now fiddling with a pair of scissors.

"Not really," he shrugged, spinning the scissors on his finger rapidly. I fought the urge to reach over and take them away from him. Then reminded myself he's a grown hedgehog, if he wants to play with scissors then that's his accident. "Hey, want me to pick up a pizza tonight and we can finish that Monopoly game I'm winning?" he smirked, cocky grin firmly in place.

The scissors spun a bit quicker and almost flew off his finger. Reacting quickly, I grabbed them and pointed them at him. He gave a sheepish smile.

"First of all, _I'm_ winning that game. Secondly, I can't, I've already got plans." I turned and put the scissors down, far out of reach. I almost counted down the seconds under my breath until the next sharp object would be in his fidgety hands. Gently lifting the bouquet up in my hands, I walked around Sonic and took it into the back room to put aside for my client to collect later on. When I came back Sonic was admiring some of my more unusual flower arrangements on display ready to buy. I watched him for a few seconds, smiling at the way he would absently stroke the petals of certain flowers between his fingers. Sometimes he brings me such stunning colours and breeds, that they take my breath away. He doesn't let me use them though, I have to keep them for myself at home.

"So, what's his name?" he asked me as he picked up a rose and inhaled its rich scent.

"Buddy," I replied absently, clearing up my bench of the scattered stems and leaves. I brushed them all into the bin as Sonic approached from the other side, watching me. I tried to not shuffle from foot to foot under his scrutiny, but in the end, I stopped what I was doing and just stared back at him, matching his gaze head on. "What?" I asked, sure that part of him wanted to make some kind of quip about his name.

"Nothing," he replied after a few challenging moments of silence. He broke it with a smile that made me silently sigh with relief as he leaned over the table between us and kissed me on the cheek. "Have fun, stay safe." With a wink he dashed out of the shop, my scream of, 'SONIC!' following behind him as some of my flowers tumbled over in his haste to get out of the small space.

Leaving me alone to fall back into my distracted state.

xXx

As far as first dates go . . . That wasn't too bad.

I thought this to myself as Buddy walked me up to my front door. I noticed a light on in the living room meaning I had a guest again. Buddy had taken me to a little restaurant tucked away from the busy Main Street, looking like a dive from the outside, but was cosy, warm and served filling delicious carb heavy food. The table was small enough to be intimate, but he wasn't pushy enough to take advantage of that. We shared a chocolate laden dessert and then we went for a slow stroll through the park. He'd taken my hand as we left the restaurant, but it didn't feel weird or wrong. His hand was strong and rough around mine, it felt nice to be looked after for a change.

It was romantic and straight out of a movie. But that's how I like it, right?

Sure, there were a few awkward moments, who doesn't have them on a first date? Just the usual, struggling to suck up a piece of spaghetti that seemed to go on and on. Snorting instead of laughing elegantly at a joke he cracked. Tripping on some loose rocks as we walked through the park. But he was gracious and kind every single time. I saw a twinkle in his eye each time as I embraced my silly moments and enjoyed his company. It wasn't Mobius shattering chemistry, but it's only been the first date. It doesn't have to come all at once.

Buddy squeezed my hand as we got to my front door and I turned to face him on the threshold.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening, I had a great time," I smiled up at him as he started to stroke his thumb across my knuckles. I waited for the tingles to come, to feel shivers across my arms. But I didn't feel anything - yet.

"But . . . " Buddy trailed off, giving me a side smile as he gazed down at me.

"But nothing, I really did have a great time!" I reassured him, suddenly aware of how generic my compliment was. "I'd - I'd like to see you again, if you do?"

The full beam smile he aimed at me nearly knocked me back a step. There - there were the tingles that made me all shivery. Buddy has such a nice smile, it made me feel warmth and excited that I was the cause of it. When was the last time I felt that around a guy? I can't even remember. I felt myself reciprocate his smile as he leaned down towards me and gently cupped my cheek with his hand. He hesitated for a second, seeing if I was going to pull away. But then he was kissing me. I went up on tip toes to meet him and it felt so nice. It wasn't passionate, just a meeting of lips. But it made me sigh, the romantic in me coming alive for the first time in too long as he pulled away from me. Cold air rushed in where his body had been and I gripped his hand as I resettled back on my heels.

"Does that answer your question?" he gruffly asked me.

It took me a second to remember I'd asked him a question I was suddenly feeling so dopey.

Smiling like an idiot I let go of his hand and opened my door. Straight away I saw Sonic sitting on my couch, an open pizza box on the table in front of him as he flicked through the channels. Glancing behind him he waved his hand. "Hey, Ames,"

Pursing my lips together a little embarrassed I stepped in and turned around to face Buddy. "This is my friend, Sonic," I remarked, waving a vague hand in Sonic's direction. "Sonic this is Buddy." I didn't bother to look in his direction, I was too busy watching Buddy, worried he would be weirded out seeing my friend just casually hanging out in my house when I'm not there. He knows I live alone; he knows I have an important group of friends. But I wasn't expecting to see Sonic here tonight of all nights and it felt strange introducing him to Buddy already.

But my date took it in his stride as he waved to Sonic and gave him one of those manly nods that apparently says enough. His attention barely wavered from me and it made me want to breathe a sigh of relief that he wasn't fazed at all by seeing him there.

"I'll call you," I promised, holding on to my door as I gazed up at him. "Thank you again."

"Thank_ you_," Buddy smiled, leaning down for another kiss that lingered and made my lips tingle. "Goodnight." Ignoring Sonic, Buddy turned and walked away confidently. I watched him for a second before closing the door and steeling myself for whatever was sure to come out of Sonic's mouth. I was annoyed. I didn't know why; I couldn't put my finger on one specific thing. But I was definitely rattled.

I stood leaning on the door and watched the back of Sonic's head, waiting.

It didn't take him long.

"How was your night with, Buddy?" he asked the TV.

Scowling I walked across the room and stood in front of him and planted my hands on my hips. He looked up at me, his eyes trailing a quick blaze over me up and down that left me feeling hyper aware with the annoyance. But his expression was unreadable as he didn't react to my mood. "Why do you have to say his name like that?" I picked, my good mood from my good date slowly evaporating.

"What? _Bud-dy_?" he smirked, though I could see the humour wasn't reaching his eyes.

I stared at Sonic a little harder, doing my best to look into his mind and she where he was and what was going on. But he put his wall up I haven't seen in a very long time and I felt all my annoyance and irritation fizzle out instantly. I was tired. Not because it's been a long day kind of tired. But because I hate arguing with Sonic and when he gets into a mood like this nothing was going to snap him out of it.

But mostly because I genuinely had a wonderful date with a great guy and I was damned if I was going to let Sonic the Hedgehog ruin that for me because he couldn't eat his pizza somewhere else or was being rude about my dates name. I left that immaturity back in the past where it can stay.

Dropping my hands, I shook my head and turned away.

"Goodnight, Sonic." I mumbled as I all but ran up my stairs and slammed my bathroom door. That last bit of irritation coming out in relief as I heard the bang. I stood over my sink for a few moments, just trying to shake off the sludge of horrible emotions. I wanted to run a bath and fill it with bubbles, but I suddenly felt so drained that I couldn't face it. Instead I washed my make up off and got ready for bed.

I could still hear the TV downstairs as I walked from the bathroom to my bedroom. I didn't hesitate to close my door and climb beneath my thick comforter. I felt so tense and uncomfortable though as I shifted from one position to the next, trying to find that elusive spot. In the end I laid there on my side, staring out the window at the dark night, willing my body to shut down and go to sleep.

That's when he knocked at the door.

I didn't say anything, but he took my silence as a yes. The light from the hall trailed a path across my floor, and he came and sat on the edge of my bed, facing me. He met my eyes straight away, though they still shut me out so I couldn't read him. "I'm sorry I was being a jerk about your date," he started, reaching out to tuck a quill over my shoulder. He watched me as he did so, fingering it between his fingers like he does with the flowers in my shop. I felt my body relax instantly as I melted into my pillows. "Forgive me?" he asked with a sincere and regretful smile.

Just like that, any tiny lingering negative emotions I felt towards him melted away as he played with my quills.

"Always," I replied, slow blinking at him as tiredness hit me like a wave.

Seeing me getting sleepy Sonic chuckled and got up off my bed. I missed his weight almost instantly, but relaxed even more as he leaned down and kissed me on the top of my head, stroking my quills one last time. "Sweet dreams, Ames," he whispered before moving away. I was just on the edge of disappearing into dreamland when I heard him say, "You looked beautiful tonight." from my doorway.

I fell asleep with a smile.


End file.
